ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT BY THE COORDINATOR

KAREL VAN MIERT

PRIORITY PROJECT 1

Berlin-Verona/Milan-Bologna-Naples-Messina-Palermo rail link

This report only represents the opinion of the European coordinator and does not prejudge the official position of the European Commission

The content of this report is accurate as of 19 July 2007

19 July 2007

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS....................................................................................................................................2

SUMMARY.....................................................................................................................................3

1. MUNICH-VERONA .............................................................................................................5

1.1. Brenner Base Tunnel .......................................................................................................................... 5 1.2. Studies presented by BBT-SE............................................................................................................. 5 1.3. Access routes ...................................................................................................................................... 7

2. BERLIN-PALERMO ............................................................................................................8

2.1. Berlin-Munich..................................................................................................................................... 8 2.2. Verona-Palermo.................................................................................................................................. 9 2.3. Priority project 1 ................................................................................................................................. 9

3. EU FINANCING: RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONDITIONS ..................................9

4. BRENNER CORRIDOR PLATFORM.............................................................................10

5. CROSS-FINANCING .........................................................................................................11

6. COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES..................................................................................11

7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................................12

8. PRIORITIES FOR THE THIRD YEAR OF ACTIVITY ...............................................12

Annexe I : Memorandum of Understanding, Vienna, 10 July 2007 Annexe II : Analysis PP 1 and PP 17, Munich, 20 April 2007 Annexe III : Map of PP 1

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SUMMARY

Trilateral support

The second year of activity has been characterised by the swift progress achieved during spring and summer 2007. After some months of delay during autumn 2006, due to the formation of a new government in Austria and changes in the management of BBT-SE (Brenner Basis Tunnel - Societas Europae), the works of the Austro-Italian Intergovernmental Commission and the talks between the governments progressed quickly and culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the Austrian Minister of Transport, Mr. Faymann, and the Italian Minister for Infrastructure, Mr. Di Pietro (Annex I).

This signature was made in presence of the German Minister for Transport, Mr. Tiefensee, who assured that all necessary works on the German part of the northern access to the Brenner Base Tunnel will be timely realised.

It therefore can be assumed that a comprehensive request for co financing the Brenner Base Tunnel will be submitted to the European Commission until 20 July 2007. Given the firm commitment of the Austrian, German and Italian governments, this request should be considered positively. The possibility of granting EU support will be crucial for succeeding priority project 1. In that respect, the highest possible level of support is recommended for the Brenner Base Tunnel, taking into account the availability of Community funding. At the same time, the highest possible level of support (maximum 50%) for the ongoing studies including the pilot tunnel should be continued.

2006 - 2007

Not being satisfied with progress in late 2006 and early 2007, the coordinator intensified activities and presented an action plan in order to dispose of all necessary studies as well as sufficient guarantees for the construction of the Brenner Base Tunnel including the access routes by July 2007. This action plan was agreed by the aforementioned Intergovernmental Commission and by the Ministers of Transport of Austria and Italy.

At the meetings of the Intergovernmental Commission, BBT-SE presented all studies: cost-benefit analysis, traffic forecasts, tariff studies, capacity studies for both rail and road along the Brenner corridor and a financial model. These studies will allow preparing the project in further detail for obtaining all construction permits during the oncoming months.

A crucial fact put forward in these studies is the increase of traffic by 83% until 2025. A continuous traffic increase is a fact that is repeatedly confirmed by various traffic forecast studies. This increase must lead to a reflection where traffic will be able to flow if no measures are taken. The increase of road capacity does not present an alternative for the Brenner corridor and traffic conditions will soon become problematic along the present highway.

The studies have shown the potential for shifting important traffic volumes to the new rail infrastructure. Important conditions need to be met to achieve this goal: realise the central section between Munich and Verona entirely (Base Tunnel and access routes), achieve interoperability, and optimise the exploitation once the infrastructure is completed. These are basic conditions for the transfer from road to rail.

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Of course, the Brenner Base Tunnel cannot be realised without considering the access routes. During the present financial perspectives, the northern and southern access routes will progress. For some sections, such as between Wörgl and Innsbruck, works are already ongoing and have been co financed by the EU in recent years. For other sections, studies and/or works will be carried out. Special attention should be drawn to the section between Fortezza and Ponte Gardena, which has the same technical characteristics as the actual Brenner Pass and therefore has to be considered as particularly critical. As indicated in the first annual report, the whole central section between Munich and Verona has to be realised in its entirety until the completion of the Brenner Base Tunnel. Therefore, whenever possible, Community co financing should be granted, at the best possible rates.

All three Member States are actively pursuing priority project 1, Berlin-Palermo, outside the central section Munich-Verona. Germany has put into service the sections between Berlin and Halle/Leipzig, as well as between Nürnberg and Munich. Furthermore, Germany is investing heavily in the bottleneck between Halle/Leipzig and Nürnberg. EU support for the latter bottleneck is recommended. Italy has put into service the section Roma-Napoli and is investing heavily in the sections Verona/Milano-Bologna-Firenze-Roma, which should be entering into service by 2009. As indicated, Austria is already constructing the section between Wörgl and Innsbruck, which should be completed by 2012.

Clearly, the priority project 'Berlin-Palermo' is progressing well. A major breakthrough can be realised by the start of the works of the Brenner Base Tunnel during the second half of 2009. Through a tight cooperation of all partners involved in this project, which will be necessary to keep the projected timing and costs, this truly European project can be achieved until 2022.

Accompanying measures

Discussion will be necessary how to address the issue of traffic increase during the period of construction of the Brenner Base Tunnel and its access routes. There is a need to optimise the use of the current rail infrastructure, as well as the additional capacities which will be available in the near future, notably the new Wörgl-Innsbruck section.

These questions are intimately linked with the environmental dimension of this project. Today, the air quality standards are not being met. Furthermore, new targets have been set by the European Council of March 2007, aiming at reducing CO2 emissions by 30% until 2020. Transferring traffic from road to rail will contribute in achieving this target.

A Brenner Corridor Platform has been set up to reflect upon these aspects. This Platform should allow coming forward with proposals for measures in order to optimise the use of the capacity of the new rail infrastructure, by transferring more traffic from road to rail and thus contributing at the same time to the environmental goals and norms which have been set. Furthermore, due account has to be taken of the development of the transalpine traffic. In this respect, there is a specific need for the EU to coordinate further developments with Switzerland.

Finally, discussions regarding the financial model need to be continued, not only for the Brenner Base Tunnel, but also for other sections along this corridor. The possibilities for cross-financing offered by Directive 2006/38/EC, the so-called 'Eurovignette' Directive, need to be fully exploited. The possibility of using congestion charges has not been explored yet. Full use of the mechanisms offered by the Directive is recommended.

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The calculation of the lifetime of such infrastructure projects may be studied as well. The actual Brenner rail line is in use for more than a century and will continue to be used in the future. This raises questions on debt calculation that are essential given the enormous investments in infrastructure.

1. MUNICH-VERONA

1.1. Brenner Base Tunnel

On 2 April 2007, BBT-SE presented a new timing and costs forecast for the Brenner Base Tunnel. With a start of the construction of the pilot tunnel in 2007, the construction of the main tunnel can start end of 2009 and will last until 2020 or 2022. The Memorandum signed by the two Transport Ministers on 10 July 2007 has put forward the date of 2022 for completion of the Base Tunnel.

On that new basis, the total costs forecasted for the Brenner Base Tunnel are now estimated by BBT-SE at 6 billion Euro (2007 prices), not taking into account inflation and financing costs.

A factual and transparent approach of these basic factors is needed. Even if these figures are now based on facts rather than political wishes, they represent an optimal scenario not taking into account delays which could occur for instance due to administrative bottlenecks, consultations or unforeseen events when constructing the tunnel. Tight surveillance and transparent communication are necessary.

All studies, presented by BBT-SE at the meetings of the Intergovernmental Commission, have taken into account these new basic data. Constructive and frequent working sessions led to a final presentation of the studies at the meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission in Rome on 9 July 2007.

As indicated in the first annual report, BBT SE is responsible for carrying out the work in phase II, i.e. preparing the definitive project, obtaining all the necessary authorisations (including those for environmental impact studies), undertaking geological studies, submitting a finance and franchise model, carrying out all preparatory tasks at the start of the work and performing any necessary supplementary study.

The coordinator recommends providing regular updates of the studies in order to avoid any surprises in the future: one should dispose of regular reports on the development of traffic along the Brenner corridor, but also of updates on the development of tariffs or results of the Brenner Corridor Platform which need to be taken into account.

1.2. Studies presented by BBT-SE

BBT-SE presented at the Intergovernmental Commission of 9 July 2007 a completed set of studies including a cost-benefit analysis, traffic forecasts, tariff studies, capacity studies for both rail and road along the Brenner corridor and a financial model.

The traffic forecast plays a central role. This study has been updated and takes into account the so-called CAFT 2004 data, which provide detailed information on

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traffic flows across the Alpine Arc. The traffic forecast is giving several scenarios, depending on different assumptions, amongst which the policy measures that will be taken, and leading to various volumes transported by road and rail.

One common factor of the different scenarios is the increase in volume in general. The study forecasts a growth of 83% by 2025 compared to 2004 figures. In general, traffic growth is confirmed by many traffic forecast studies in the oncoming decades.

Traffic volume of heavy goods vehicles (over 7.5 tonnes) along the Brenner corridor has grown exponentially in recent years, especially in 2006 (+5.8%) and the first seven months of 2007 (+8.64%)1, exceeding by far the forecasted growth of the ProgTrans study. Therefore, one clearly can foresee that traffic density may lead to bottlenecks in the near future. Moreover, studies put forward by BBT SE have shown the limited capacities of both the highway as well as the current railway line, which will not allow absorbing a continuous growth.

These developments should be monitored on a yearly basis and the results should be commented upon in comparison with the studies presented on 9 July 2007. When necessary, it should lead to updating the studies in order to prevent discrepancies between the basic assumptions and the final execution.

This traffic study is complemented by capacity studies both for the Brenner highway, as well as for the railway line. Regarding the highway, specific factors have to be taken into account which make that capacity calculations for this highway cannot be compared as such with a highway in flat areas (gradients, numbers of bridges and tunnels, no overtaking and regular maintenance due to degradation from winter conditions). Regarding railway capacity, the study describes the capacity of the current railway line and of the future Brenner Base Tunnel, but also takes into account the intermediate improvements in capacity due to realisation of sections such as Wörgl-Innsbruck.

The BRAVO study, co financed by the EU, indicated a range of measures that can be adopted along the Brenner corridor and which will have a positive effect on the capacity of the railway line2. These suggestions will be taken into account in the works of the Brenner Corridor Platform.

The financial model presented, cannot be considered as final. The fact that a new forecast for the timing and the costs was presented on 2 April 2007, led to a decisive change in the basic parameters for the model. A Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for the entire project, running from 2009 until 2022, looks like being outside today's market possibilities. This profoundly changes the outlook for the financial model to be adopted. The Intergovernmental Commission therefore adopted the report presented on 9 July in Rome which proposes to further explore two options: a PPP for rail technology and a PPP for rail technology plus a part of the construction works, to start from the moment the pilot tunnel will be realised (around 2012).

1 http://www.tirol.gv.at/themen/verkehr/verkehrsplanung/publikationen/

2 http://www.bravo-project.com/home/index.shtml

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However, the latter model presents a risk of interfaces that may reduce the chances of successfully completing such a PPP.

Finally, the tariff studies were discussed at several occasions. Here as well, several scenarios have been presented, generating different levels of income after the opening of the new infrastructure. A rather conservative scenario has been adopted. It has been agreed at the Intergovernmental Conference on 9 July 2007 that this study needs further comparison with tariffs on other main infrastructures of similar nature.

Until November 2007, BBT-SE will prepare all necessary deliverables in order to allow the governments to take a final decision on the launch of the construction of the Brenner Base Tunnel next year. At the end of 2008, BBT-SE will launch the public procurement for the works of the Base Tunnel.

1.3. Access routes

At each occasion, the coordinator stressed the need to realise the access routes until the moment the Brenner Base Tunnel will be completed. This has been agreed upon by all three Member States at the summit in Vienna on 10 July 2007.

International cooperation on the access routes is in place: a specific trilateral working group is functioning and convenes on a regular basis to discuss progress.

Regarding the northern access on German territory, Mr. Tiefensee, the German Minister of Transport, in presence of the Austrian and Italian governments at the meeting on 10 July 2007 in Vienna, publicly assured that all necessary capacity will be available until the moment that the Base Tunnel will be completed. During the current financial perspectives, first studies can be carried out in order to determine the options for the section between Rosenheim and Kufstein. Such studies, with limited costs only, could be financed from the non-MIP yearly budget. Detailed studies and works will probably be carried out only during the next financial perspectives.

For the moment, priority project 1, Berlin-Palermo, and priority project 17, Paris-Bratislava, use the same infrastructure between Munich and Rosenheim. It is foreseen that in the future, the railway axis Paris-Bratislava will be conducted from Munich via Mühldorf and Freilassing to Salzburg. This new alignment will free up capacities for the railway axis Berlin-Palermo between Munich and Rosenheim.

Still within Germany, the so-called 'Truderinger Kurve' would allow to directly connect the container terminal of Munich Riem to the Brenner corridor. The construction of this small missing link would have immediate positive effects: a time gain of 20 to 30 minutes, reduced costs because of a reduction in operations and an increase in capacity in the very dense Munich area. Therefore, this small infrastructural measure should be realised as soon as possible and independent from the construction of the Brenner Base Tunnel. Given its limited costs and very punctual but nonetheless important nature, this project should be pursued on short term and could be proposed for support from the non-MIP yearly budget.

The part of the northern access route on Austrian territory is partly under construction. Austria is investing in the construction of two new tracks between Wörgl and Innsbruck, which will allow catering for both the local and regional

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trains, as well as for the future increase in (inter)national goods and passenger transport.

Preliminary studies for the section between Kufstein and Wörgl are currently under way. But detailed studies and works still need to be carried out on this part of the northern access. However, the Austrian Minister for Transport, Mr. Faymann, ascertained that the access route will be timely finalized.

Swift progress has been made as well regarding the Italian southern access to the Brenner Base Tunnel. The Italian Minister for Infrastructure, Mr. Di Pietro, has declared that all necessary works will be realized in time.

Italy has split the southern access into four priority sections and three further sections which will allow having four tracks all the way from Verona to Fortezza. The four priority sections are the access to the node of Verona, the bypasses of Rovereto-Trento and of Bolzano and the section Ponte Gardena-Fortezza. The completion of the Ponte Gardena-Fortezza section will allow, in combination with the Brenner Base Tunnel, to reduce the gradient from 26‰ to 11‰. This will allow freight trains to circulate with just one locomotive instead of two or three today.

The realization of all four priority sections is essential if a large number of freight trains are to use the route. The freight trains will bypass the cities of Bolzano, Trento and Rovereto and moreover, the additional tracks will benefit the regional passenger transport system which is foreseen to increase.

All these works will also allow to include the full interoperability of the future line and hence the installation of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). This is another clear condition for the proper functioning of the new infrastructure.

2. BERLIN-PALERMO

2.1. Berlin-Munich

As indicated before, Germany is very engaged in realising its sections of this priority project. Two major parts of this section have already been put into service: Berlin-Halle/Leipzig and Nürnberg-München.

Furthermore, there is a firm commitment to realise Halle/Leipzig-Nürnberg. A first part of this section, between Halle/Leipzig and Erfurt can be realised until 2015. The second part between Erfurt and Ebensfeld can be realised until 2017. This important bottleneck between Berlin and Munich should be tackled as soon as possible. EU support from the ERDF budget is flowing into this project for the Länder that are eligible. Targeted TEN-T support should be considered for the section Ebensfeld to the Bavarian border. Furthermore, the so-called 'Güterzugumfahrung Fürth' which would have direct effect on the long-distance unaccompanied freight transport across the Brenner, could be recommended for TEN-T support.

All the Bavarian sections have been analyzed in the framework of a Conference held in Munich on 20 April 2007. At that occasion, special attention was vowed to

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the synergies between priority projects 'Berlin-Palermo' and 'Paris-Bratislava' (see document in annex II).

2.2. Verona-Palermo

The Italian sections south of Verona progress swiftly as well. The section Verona-Bologna-Firenze is to enter into service in 2009. In particular the section between Verona and Bologna constitutes a bottleneck still today, being partly one track only. The section between Firenze and Roma will be adapted for ERTMS. The section Roma-Napoli was put into service already last year.

The sections south of Napoli will have to be analyzed in further detail. At this moment, it is not yet clear which priorities will be established by the Italian authorities for upgrading the existing line between Napoli, Messina and Palermo. The coordinator expects to receive further information, including the alignment in Sicily.

2.3. Priority project 1

At the summit in Vienna on 10 July 2007, the German Minister for Transport, Mr. Tiefensee, spoke about Rostock-Palermo, in order to illustrate that the rail link continues beyond Berlin, up to the important harbour of Rostock. This is a reality which could indeed be taken up when reviewing the Guidelines in the future.

Reference can be made here to the work of Mr. Vinck, the European coordinator responsible for ERTMS. One of the six freight corridors put forward by Mr. Vinck, corridor B, runs all the way from Stockholm to Napoli and coincides with PP 1 from Nürnberg up to Napoli.

As indicated under 2.3, discussions are ongoing about the alignment of PP 1 in Sicily, where Catania could be connected into this project.

3. EU FINANCING: RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONDITIONS

As indicated above, sufficient guarantees have been obtained from the Austrian, German and Italian governments. Studies have been delivered and cooperation structures are already in place. Progress is good and specific recommendations can therefore be made:

• The Brenner Base Tunnel will be constructed between 2009 and 2022. Construction of the pilot tunnel, which belongs to the study phase, has already started. In order to get this crucial section of priority project 1 up and running, the highest possible level of support for the remaining studies and for the works is recommended, taking into account the availability of Community funding.

• This support can only be granted when following conditions are respected: (1) firm and realistic commitments on the completion of the northern and southern access routes allowing maximal use of the new tunnel infrastructure; (2) interoperability for the Brenner Base Tunnel and for the access routes from Munich to Verona; (3) a coordinated management of the infrastructure for the whole section Munich-Verona, once the tunnel will be put into service, in order to guarantee optimal use of the infrastructure; (4) financial guarantees from the Member States involved.

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• Further TEN-T support should in priority be given to: - the priority sections between Verona and Fortezza, in particular to Ponte Gardena-Fortezza; - Wörgl-Kufstein - Halle/Leipzig-Nürnberg, in particular to the section 'Ebensfeld-Grenze Bayern' and to the so-called 'Güterzugumfahrung Fürth'

• Punctual EU support from the annual non-MIP budget may be having direct positive effects for the timely realization of studies on the northern access (cross-border section Rosenheim-Kufstein) and on the construction of the so-called 'Truderinger Kurve'.

During the previous financial perspectives, projects were subject to annual review. While this practice will not change substantially, the new financing regulation allows the Commission to commit funding in annual tranches over several years. However, it may be necessary to review the multi-annual planning after two or three years in order to reallocate budgets if projects have not been progressing sufficiently according to the forecast.

It has to be pointed out that several projects along this railway line will cover two or even more financial periods. Currently, no financial guarantees can be given for the investments beyond 2013. However, for a project like the Brenner Base Tunnel EU co financing beyond 2013 will be of vital importance. This uncertainty complicates the financial construction and constitutes a risk factor, given that an eventual positive decision for co financing during the present period does not give real guarantees for the further continuation of co financing during the next period.

One should also point at the ERDF support that this priority project will obtain. Important support will be given in Germany to the Halle/Leipzig-Erfurt-Ebensfeld sections. In Italy, ERDF support is foreseen for the sections between Napoli and Messina.

4. BRENNER CORRIDOR PLATFORM

On 22 May 2007, a first meeting of the Brenner Corridor Platform was held in Innsbruck. All three Member States, the regions and the railway companies involved were represented. The coordinator set up this Platform in order to have an integrated approach for the Brenner Corridor, including road and rail, going beyond the mere development of the infrastructure project and putting into place a strong cooperation between all partners involved.

Obviously, when investing billions for a new rail infrastructure, this infrastructure should be used in the best possible way, exploiting the full capacity as soon as possible. In order to achieve this goal, the current capacities, as well as the capacities offered by the opening of the Wörgl-Innsbruck section in 2012, should be fully exploited. In this perspective, measures should be studied how to achieve a sufficient transfer of freight transport from road to rail.

This transfer should offer a solution for the exponential increase of road traffic, leading to bottlenecks and congestion, which cannot be dissociated from the respect of environmental standards, such as the air quality standards which become mandatory as of

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2010, and the new targets, set by the European Council of March 2007, for the reduction of CO2 emissions.

Therefore, the Platform will come forward with short, middle and long term proposals, ranging from infrastructural improvements, management of train slots, handling at terminals, interoperability issues, to policy proposals.

These proposals will have to be evaluated and discussed by the Member States concerned and will be reported upon in the third annual activity report.

5. CROSS-FINANCING

By signing the Memorandum of Understanding, Austria and Italy have committed themselves to fully use the mark-up possibility for cross-financing the Brenner Base Tunnel. This will include a 25% mark-up for the section Innsbruck-Fortezza and 15% mark-ups in the Inn Valley and the Fortezza-Affi section. For the moment, only Austria introduced an application with the European Commission for a 25% mark-up on the Brenner pass itself. Further applications will thus follow and the coordinator deems full use of these possibilities offered by Directive 2006/38/CE crucial.

Further possibilities should still be explored, notably the congestion charge which, according to Directive 2006/38/CE, can be put in place. In this way, all possibilities should be exploited, given the enormous costs for the Brenner Base Tunnel and the access routes.

In this regard, in order to speed up the realisation of the Trans European Transport Network, requests were formulated whether the mark-up could be extended. On the one hand, suggestions were made to extend the current mark-up from heavy goods vehicles to all vehicles. On the other hand, it was suggested that the mark-up could be extended from its limited cross-Alpine application to a wider geographical bottleneck application. Both suggestions will interfere with the way of calculation of tolls.

6. COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES

As foreseen in the first annual report, the coordinator has been actively pursuing the communication on this priority project at several occasions. It is necessary to create a transparent communication, based on factual information. Like during the first year of activity, the coordinator has met the Ministers of Austria, Germany and Italy, responsible for the priority project 'Berlin-Palermo'. Further meetings were held with the Presidents of the regions of Verona, Trentino, Alto Adige, Tyrol, Bavaria and Thüringen.

It must be stressed that the cooperation with the governments and the regions alike has been positive, systematic and with a high level mutual trust. Indeed, the Member States and the regions have been valuing highly the efforts of the European Commission through the coordinating activities.

Equally, the cooperation with BBT SE has been intense and very good during the last half year, in particular with regard to the preparation of the meetings of the Intergovernmental Commission and of the visits of the Coordinator in Austria and Italy.

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The coordinator went to visit the central section of the corridor between Innsbruck and Bolzano and discussed with the mayors concerned and with the press, but also with the opponents of the project, with citizens and with those working on the construction of the project.

The coordinator also attended public conferences such as the TEN-days in Brussels or the PP1-PP17 Conference in Munich.

A specific point of concern raised, was the fact that the new railway line will function as a high-speed line which will reduce capacity. However, as already indicated in the first annual report, the Brenner Base Tunnel project is "part of a coherent overall concept of a high-capacity line from Munich to Verona, linking up the rail networks to the north and to the south. The goal is simply to enable as long a train as possible, and carrying the heaviest possible load, to cover the whole journey from Munich to Verona without stopping, using one locomotive."

It has also been highlighted that major parts of this new infrastructure will duplicate the existing line and of which major parts are in tunnels or semi-underground. This should directly contribute to a future reduction of nuisance to the population concerned.

7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the above activity report, the coordinator puts forward the following conclusions and recommendations:

• Given the importance of launching the Brenner Base Tunnel for the priority project 'Berlin-Palermo', the possibility of granting EU support will be decisive. The highest possible level of co financing should be pursued, taking into account the availability of Community funding.

• The aforementioned conditions for this support should be respected.

• Possible EU support for the northern and southern access routes, in line with the concentration on specific sections proposed under chapter 3 above, will be coherent with these conditions and would reinforce the possibility to create an effective Brenner corridor, allowing to maximise the use of the tunnel and to shift goods from road to rail.

• EU support could be given to targeted projects on the Nürnberg-Halle/Leipzig section in order to eliminate the important bottleneck between Berlin and Munich.

• Optimum use of the new rail infrastructure should be pursued. This needs to be addressed by the Brenner Corridor Platform. Short, middle and long term proposals need to be made. The Platform will offer a coherent approach to the whole corridor, integrating the environmental objectives and offering answers to modal split questions.

8. PRIORITIES FOR THE THIRD YEAR OF ACTIVITY

(1) Continue a close and intense coordination on the Brenner Base Tunnel and the access routes between Munich and Verona.

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(2) Continue work, in close cooperation with the BBT SE and with the help of the EIB, on the financial model.

(3) Continue the work of the Brenner Corridor Platform, elaborating a coherent approach for the corridor in its entirety, coming forward with proposals for optimising the use of the Brenner Base Tunnel and its access routes, contributing to the environmental standards and objectives adopted by the EU.

(4) Continue the communication on the Brenner Base Tunnel at local, regional, national and European level.

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ANNEXE II Februar 2007

Analyse der vorrangigen Projekte und Empfehlung zu deren Ausbau im Freistaat Bayern

von den Europäischen Koordinatoren

der vorrangigen TEN-V-Projekte

Nr. 1 "Berlin – München – Innsbruck – Verona/Milan – Bologna – Napels – Messina – Palermo"

und Nr. 17 "Paris – Strasbourg – Stuttgart – München – Salzburg – Wien – Bratislava"

20. April 2007 München

1. HINTERGRUND

Dieses Dokument stellt eine Analyse der Europäischen Koordinatoren über die Realisierung der beiden wichtigen europäischen Hochgeschwindigkeitsachsen für den Eisenbahnverkehr im Freistaat Bayern dar. Die Analyse konzentriert sich auf die Engpässe entlang der vorrangigen Achsen auf bayerischem Gebiet und beschreibt, wie diese Teilabschnitte zeitnah vorangetrieben werden können und wie die Verkehrsachsen als durchgehende Linie gefördert werden können.

Hocheffiziente Verkehrsnetze sind heute eine wesentliche Voraussetzung für die Schaffung von Wohlstand und Beschäftigung. Dies trifft besonders auf Europa zu, wo wir in unserer Verkehrsinfrastruktur Lücken schlieβen und Engpässe beseitigen müssen, um den schnellen und reibungslosen Waren- und Personenverkehr zwischen den Mitgliedstaaten zu gewährleisten. Das transeuropäische Verkehrsnetz (TEN-V) spielt deshalb eine entscheidende Rolle bei der Gewährleistung des freien Personen- und Warenverkehrs in der Europäischen Union. Die Bahnprojekte "Berlin-Palermo" und "Paris-Bratislava" sind Teil der 30 vorrangigen Achsen und Projekte, die das "Rückgrat" des TEN-V bilden. Die Realisierung der beiden vorrangigen Vorhaben wird wesentliche Leistungs- und Qualitätsverbesserungen im Schienenverkehr und damit bedeutende Zeiteinsparungen für Reisende und Güter mit sich bringen.

Die beiden für die vorrangigen Vorhaben zuständigen Europäischen Koordinatoren

• wissen um die besondere Bedeutung der Nord-Süd-Verkehrsachse "Berlin – Palermo" und der Ost-West-Verkehrsachse "Paris-Bratislava" für die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung der Mitgliedstaaten in der Europäischen Union und ihrer Integration in den gemeinsamen Binnenmarkt und das erhebliche Potenzial, das in der Realisierung der beiden Projekte für Wirtschaftswachstum, Beschäftigung und Verbesserung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit liegt,

• stellen fest, dass entlang der Bahnachsen "Berlin – Palermo" und "Paris – Bratislava" bereits groβe Fortschritte erzielt werden konnten und begrüβen, dass ab 2007 und in den folgenden Jahren neue Abschnitte in Betrieb genommen werden können,

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• plädieren für eine weitere und zeitgerechte Realisierung der Vorhaben als durchgängige Linien mit Klarheit, Realismus und Nachdruck, um wichtige Verkehrsverbindungen zu entlasten, Engpässe zu beseitigen und nachhaltige Verkehrssysteme gewährleisten zu können und damit dem Ziel einer europaweiten Mobilität einen Schritt näher kommen zu können,

• betonen die Wichtigkeit des Ausbaus der vorrangigen Vorhaben 1 und 17 für das gesamte transeuropäische Netz,

• heben hervor, dass damit gleichzeitig auch die Entwicklung der Netze auf nationaler, regionaler und lokaler Ebene vorangetrieben werden soll, die eng mit dem transeuropäischen Netz verflochten sein müssen,

• unterstreichen die Bedeutung des Ausbaus für die Förderung eines umweltverträglichen Transports von Personen und Gütern vor dem Hintergrund der positiven Umweltbilanz der Schiene im Allgemeinen und insbesondere auch mit Blick auf die Themen Energie und Luftqualität.

2. ANALYSE

Die beiden für die vorrangigen Vorhaben 1 und 17 zuständigen Europäischen Koordinatoren analysieren in diesem Zusammenhang die noch bestehenden Engpässe auf bayerischem Gebiet und betrachten insbesondere den Bedarf einer Entflechtung der beiden Eisenbahnachsen rund um München.

2.1. PP 1 (Berlin - Palermo):

2.1.1. Nördlich von München:

• Entlang des vorrangigen Vorhabens Nr. 1, der Eisenbahnachse "Berlin – Palermo", gibt es auch auf bayerischem Gebiet noch sehr wichtige Abschnitte, die es voranzutreiben gilt. Der Abschnitt "Halle/Leipzig-Nürnberg" stellt einen der Engpässe der Eisenbahnachse dar. Es ist zu begrüβen, dass die Planungen und der Ausbau dieser Strecke von Seiten des Bundes intensiv vorangetrieben werden und hier auch beträchtliche Fortschritte erzielt werden konnten.

• Zwischen Erfurt in Thüringen und Ebensfeld in Bayern wird bis 2017 eine Neubaustrecke fertig gestellt; zwischen Ebensfeld und Nürnberg handelt es sich um eine Ausbaustrecke, die nach 2017 fertig gestellt wird. Besonders die Güterzugumfahrung Fürth sollte hervorgehoben werden; sie wird zurzeit geplant und sollte bis 2011 fertig sein.

• Der ganze Abschnitt Halle/Leipzig-Nürnberg stellt einen Engpass dar, da die Züge zwischen Berlin und München nur über große Umwege und mit viel Zeitverlust verkehren. Für die Verbindung zwischen der gröβten und der drittgrößten Stadt Deutschlands, Berlin und München, benötigt man heute eine Fahrzeit von sechs Stunden. Dies hat auch erhebliche Auswirkungen auf die Kapazitäten der Strecke.

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2.1.2. Münchener Raum:

• Besonders im Münchener Raum ist die Verflechtung der beiden Eisenbahnachsen sehr stark ausgeprägt. Hier verlaufen die beiden vorrangigen Projekte auf längeren Abschnitten parallel. Der Güterverkehr und teilweise auch der Personenverkehr läuft zurzeit entlang derselben Trasse zwischen Augsburg und Rosenheim3. Der Abschnitt zwischen Augsburg und München wird derzeit auf vier Gleise erweitert und soll zum Teil bis 2008, durchgehend bis 2010 fertig gestellt sein.

• In München wird der Personenverkehr vom Hauptbahnhof über den Südring nach München Ost und von dort aus weiter in Richtung Österreich geführt. Die Güterzüge umfahren München im Stadtgebiet sowohl über den Nordring als auch den Südring. Beide Strecken stellen in ihrem gegenwärtigen Zustand Engpässe für den Bahnverkehr dar. Im Hinblick auf die rasche Zunahme des Güterverkehrs auf der Schiene sollten diese Engpässe zeitlich absehbar beseitigt werden. Dies ist sowohl für den Nordzulauf des Brenners als auch für den gesamten Güterverkehr im süddeutschen Raum wichtig.

• Auch die Realisierung der sog. "Truderinger Kurve" als Teil des Streckenabschnittes München – Verona sollte weiter vorangetrieben werden. Diese vergleichsweise kleine Maßnahme würde das Containerterminal "München Riem" direkt an die Brennerachse anschließen und damit groβe Vorteile für die Kapazitäten dieses Teilabschnittes bringen. Dies hätte bereits jetzt positive Auswirkungen, nicht zuletzt auch mit Blick auf die Senkung von Umweltbelastungen durch eine verstärkte Verlagerung des Güterverkehrs auf die Schiene.

2.1.3. Südlich von München:

• Dringend erforderlich ist es, dass für den grenzüberschreitenden Abschnitt "Rosenheim-Kufstein" die notwendigen Studien und verlässlichen Planungen erfolgen, sobald die Finanzierung des geplanten Brenner-Basistunnels selbst geklärt ist. Diese Strecke ist als Zubringerstrecke für den geplanten Brenner-Basistunnel von entscheidender Bedeutung, gerade mit Blick auf die europäische Dimension des Vorhabens und die momentane Verkehrssituation. Es wäre kontraproduktiv, wenn die mit der Realisierung des Brennerbasistunnels geschaffenen immensen Vorteile durch die Schaffung eines neuen Engpasses am Grenzübergang wieder neutralisiert würden. Wegen des langen Planungsvorlaufs großer Eisenbahnvorhaben müssen die Planungen rechtzeitig begonnen werden. .Der nach Beginn der Bauarbeiten am Brenner-Basistunnel zu erwartende Zeitraum bis zur Inbetriebnahme sollte ausreichen, um die notwendigen Baumaßnahmen für den nördlichen Zulauf auf bayerischem Gebiet durchzuführen

3 Seit der Inbetriebnahme der Neubaustrecke Nürnberg-Ingolstadt verkehren die Personenzüge auf PP1

jetzt hauptsächlich über diese neue Strecke und laufen daher nur von München bis Rosenheim parallel mit PP17

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2.2. PP 17 (Paris - Bratislava):

2.2.1. Westlich von München:

• Zwischen Neu-Ulm und Augsburg ist ein Ausbau im Bundesverkehrswegeplan 2003 vorgesehen. Das Projekt ist im BVWP 2003 mit dem Abschnitt Stuttgart – Ulm verbunden, wo zurzeit eine Lösung erörtert wird.

• Der Ausbau zwischen Augsburg und München geht voran und wird teilweise in 2008 und weitestgehend in 2010 beendet sein.

2.2.2. Münchener Raum:

• Wie für PP 1 beschrieben, stellen die bestehenden Strecken im Raum München zukünftig einen Engpass für den Güterverkehr dar. Da in München die Güterverkehrs- und Fernverkehrsströme der Ost-West- und der Nord-Süd-Achse zusammentreffen wird sich der Effekt des Engpasses mit Nachteilen für beide Strecken erheblich auswirken. Daher sollten während der nächsten Periode zügig die Planungen aufgenommen werden, um diesen Engpass möglichst schnell zu beseitigen, und den Vorteil der Verknüpfung beider Achsen voll zur Wirkung kommen zu lassen.

2.2.3. Östlich von München:

• Der Abschnitt München-Mühldorf-Freilassing-Salzburg ist der längste und zugleich schwierigste grenzüberschreitende Abschnitt des PP 1. Dieser Abschnitt ist die Voraussetzung dafür, eine durchgehende attraktive Linie zu realisieren, die deutschen und österreichischen Eisenbahnnetze in Deutschland und Österreich besser zu verknüpfen, die Strecken der vorrangigen Projekte 1 und 17 zu entflechten und mehr Verkehr von der Straße auf die Schiene zu verlagern. Wichtig ist es, die Fernverkehrstauglichkeit diese Strecke herbeizuführen. Daher soll die Strecke München-Salzburg als Gesamtprojekt betrachtet und als eine Einheit gebaut werden. Sollte diese Strecke nur in Teilabschnitten realisiert werden, ergeben sich mit Blick auf die Beseitigung des grenzüberschreitenden Engpasses keine zufrieden stellenden Ergebnisse. Denn in diesem Fall würde die durchgehende Linie würde weiterhin über Rosenheim geführt werden und damit die zuvor genannten Zielsetzungen verfehlt werden. Der Ausbau dieser Strecke ist auch die Voraussetzung für die Südost-Anbindung des Flughafens München über die Walpertskirchner Spange und den Erdinger Ringschluss.

3. EMPFEHLUNGEN

3.1. PP 1 (Berlin – Palermo):

Im Hinblick auf die Realisierung des Brenner-Basistunnels, die derzeit zwischen 2009 und 2020/22 vorgesehen ist, soll, so bald die Finanzierung des Brenner-Basistunnels selbst geklärt ist, der Nordzulauf ab München hin zum Brenner prioritär verfolgt werden. Dazu gehören zum einen das Projekt „Truderinger Kurve“, das kurzfristig realisiert werden kann und bei relativ geringen Kosten groβe

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Vorteile aufweisen wird, und zum anderen müssen für die weiteren Abschnitte des Brenner-Nordzulaufes (München – Rosenheim und Rosenheim – Kufstein) die notwendige Planungen zeitgerecht durchgeführt werden. Der nach Beginn der Bauarbeiten am Brenner-Basistunnel zu erwartende Zeitraum sollte ausreichen, um die notwendigen Ausbaumaßnahmen für den nördlichen Zulauf dieses Basistunnels auf bayerischem Gebiet durchzuführen.

Die Beseitigung der weiteren Engpässe nördlich von München, insbesondere Halle/Leipzig – Nürnberg, wird von allen Beteiligten jetzt schon gut vorangetrieben. Der Europäische Koordinator für PP 1 begrüßt dies und betont, dass dieser Abschnitt wegen der Bedeutung für das Gesamtprojekt auch weiterhin mit Nachdruck vorangebracht werden muss.

3.2. PP 17 (Paris – Bratislava):

Wichtig ist, dass der Abschnitt München – Mühldorf – Freilassing – Salzburg als Gesamtprojekt angegangen und realisiert wird. Dadurch werden die beiden vorrangigen Projekte entflochten und es wird nicht nur eine verbesserte Anbindung der deutschen und österreichischen Schienennetze erreicht, sondern auch die ganze Region Ostbayern besser angebunden, inklusive des so genannten Chemie-Dreiecks und dessen Potenzial an Güterbeförderung. Zurzeit schreitet der Ausbau zwischen Augsburg und München zügig voran; der Ausbau des Abschnitts zwischen Neu-Ulm und Augsburg darf aber in der nächsten Zeit nicht vergessen werden.

4. AUFRUF DER BETEILIGTEN BEHÖRDEN UND STELLEN ZUR UNTERSTÜTZUNG DER REALISIERUNG DER BEIDEN VORRANGIGEN ACHSEN:

Die beiden für die vorrangigen Vorhaben zuständigen Europäischen Koordinatoren unterstreichen nochmals die Bedeutung einer koordinierten Realisierung der gesamten Achsen als durchgehende Verbindungen, um die einzelnen Abschnitte zu vollständigen und durchgehenden interoperablen Eisenbahnverbindungen zu ergänzen.

Entlang der beiden Eisenbahnachsen "Berlin – Palermo" und "Paris – Bratislava" konnten in den vergangenen Jahren bereits groβe Fortschritte erzielt werden und wichtige neue Abschnitte in Betrieb genommen werden. Nun gilt es, den eingeschlagenen Weg konsequent und zielstrebig weiter zu verfolgen, damit das transeuropäische Verkehrsnetz vollständig ausgebaut und in naher Zukunft auch vollendet werden kann. Nur so können durch eine Erhöhung der Kapazitäten im Personen- und Güterverkehr und durch die Sicherstellung einer optimalen intramodalen und intermodalen Verbindung mit anderen vorrangigen Vorhaben von europäischer Dimension die Vorteile maximiert und die Reise- und Frachtzeiten erheblich reduziert werden.

Erforderlich dafür ist, dass alle Akteure aus Politik und Verwaltung bei der schnellstmöglichen Realisierung sämtlicher Abschnitte der beiden Eisenbahnachsen möglichst eng zusammen arbeiten, und sowohl den Ausbau der grenzüberschreitenden Abschnitte und die Beseitigung der Engpässe wie auch die Realisierung der beiden vorrangigen Vorhaben als durchgehende Linien nach Kräften unterstützen. Dies ist eine Grundvoraussetzung, um die europaweite, aber auch nationale und regionale Mobilität nachhaltig zu verbessern. Denn dies ist nicht nur für die Lebensqualität der Bürgerinnen und Bürger im Einzugsbereich der beiden europäischen Eisenbahnachsen wichtig,

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sondern auch ein entscheidender Beitrag zur Stärkung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der angebundenen Städte, Regionen und Mitgliedstaaten Europas.

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ANNEXE III Map of PP 1